January 29, 2017

A SLEEP ROUTINE FIT FOR A PLUS SIZE QUEEN

So many products are marketed and sold as "one size fits all." If you're plus size, like me, you know that one size never fits all when it comes to the clothes we wear. So why do we settle for a "one size fits all" mattress and sleep routine when those are two of the most important things for our wellness?

If I get up on the wrong side of the bed or don't get enough rest at night, I'm not productive, I get headaches, I crave unhealthy food, and I am drinking every cup of coffee I can get my hands on just to stay functional.

But don't lose sleep over this. With the extra hours of darkness, winter is the best time to refocus on your sleep pattern. Here is how I drastically changed and improved my sleep routine in just one month!

I found a mattress made for my body type.

There are a lot of mattress manufacturers out there that make false promises and try to market a "one size fits all" mattress to a niche group of people, like full figured and big and tall. However, no matter what mattress I have slept on, nothing has ever felt like it was made for me, which is why my sleep patterns have suffered over the years. When I found out about the Big Fig Mattress, the first and only mattress made for a bigger figure, I had to try it out. Since I am plus size and my boyfriend is big and tall, we have often struggled sleeping in the same bed together because of our old mattresses' lack of support, shift of materials, and weak foundation. But when Big Fig said their mattress would last 20 years or longer, and had the test results to prove it, I was sold. Sure enough, the mattress has immensely changed the way I sleep through the night. This mattress was truly made for a bigger figure with features like 1600 pocketed coil springs to support the neck and back, three layers of high density poly foam for no-sag cushioning, and the mattress has been tufted in 16 places to keep the internal materials from shifting. But my favorite feature of the Big Fig Mattress is the ThermoGel quilted top that keeps me cool throughout the night. Lastly, I had the option of ordering a heavy-duty (and virtually indestructible) bed frame made out of recycled railroad steel, which was uniquely made for the Big Fig Mattress. It only took me one month to get my sleep pattern and routine back on track, and right now, you can try out the Big Fig Mattress with a 101 night trial to see if it's the perfect fit for you, too.

Essential oils engage your mind, body, and soul

For Christmas, my mom sent me essential oils to help combat my allergies. At first, I was unsure just how a tiny bottle of oil was going to solve anything, but after I opened the bottle and got my first whiff of eucalyptus and peppermint, my life was changed forever. Since then, I have purchased an essential oil diffuser and an array of essential oils that are supposed to help me de-stress, relax, breathe, focus, and sleep. One hour before I go to bed, I will usually mix blood orange, peppermint, and eucalyptus into my oil diffuser and turn it on. I let it run through the night to keep my mind and body at ease.

Reset and restore every night

Sleep is critical because that is when your body restores and repairs itself, and the more you help your body with this restorative process, the better you will feel and look every day. During the winter, I wake up with dry lips and skin. So I invested in an ultrasonic humidifier to moisturize my skin and hair throughout the night. The humidifier helps keep my skin healthy, and the amount of breakouts I have had has significantly reduced since I started using the humidifier.

Don't sabotage your skin
While your body works to rejuvenate itself while you sleep, sometimes we are working against it by sabotaging our skin and hair with cotton pillowcases. I sleep on my stomach and my face a lot. So, I recently traded in my cotton pillowcases for satin ones because these pillowcases can reduce wrinkles and hair breakage. I thought this would be quite the costly purchase, but it turns out that satin pillowcases are actually pretty affordable.

One size doesn't fit all, especially when you sleep, so make sure to invest in yourself and find a sleep routine that truly fits you!

Big Fig sent me their queen size mattress to review. All opinions are 110% my own.